Thursday, March 11, 2010
Luke 23:33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him.
THE NAILS OF HIS CROSS
Who crucified Jesus? The Roman soldiers? The centurion in charge of the detail? Pontius Pilate, who ordered Him put to death? The Jewish leaders who inflamed the mob to pressure Pilate? Plainly, no one person, no one sin is responsible. It is the doing of many, this nailing up of the Son of God.
Also guilty are those standing at the foot of the cross, and those unconcernedly going about their business in the city, in Jerusalem, and in your hometown. Also guilty of the crucifixion of Christ are those sitting in pews and those standing in pulpits.
Among the sins which put Jesus on His cross were those of Annas and Caiphas, Pilate and the soldiers, Peter and the other disciples. They were guilty of selfishness, pride and envy, of hatred, cruelty, slander and greed, of thoughtlessness and disloyalty. These sins nailed Christ to His cross. These sins of men long ago -- and today. Their sins -- and ours.
"Ah! I also and my sin wrought Thy deep affliction.
This indeed the cause hath been of Thy crucifixion."
Jesus suffered and died to atone for our sins too. Our sins also were the nails of His cross. The thought is terrible and true. Yet the cross of Christ does not fill us with despair and terror. Instead of shuddering:
We sing the praise of Him who died,
Of Him who died upon the tree
Here we see that God is love,
Christ bears our sins and
Brings us mercy from above.
